Water diversion valve (WRRV)

Abstract

A water diversion valve (WRRV) enables a user to install a separate water meter in its apartment, rather than as currently traditionally conventionally installed on the sky corridor or entrance outside the building. The installation cost is greatly reduced, installation is easier, necessary safety prevention measures are applied when a pipeline with the length of tens of meters is fixed to the wall of a high-rise building, and ugly appearance of the pipeline is avoided. The valve is a small tube, referred to as an inner tube (IT), made of brass (yellow copper and zinc alloy) or PVC, screwed into a larger tube, referred to as an outer sleeve (EJ). A movable part of a bathroom water stop valve (WSOV) will be removed, and the EJ will be tightly screwed into its position (i.e., it will be screwed into a fixed part in the wall). Water will flow from the fixed part of the WSOV to the interior of the IT and then to the water meter through some PVC connecting pipes, elbows and external stop valves. After the flow is measured, water will return to the EJ through the 1 / 2 inch slot and then flow back to the WSOV to supply water to the apartment or unit. The final purpose of the valve is to facilitate the installation of the water meter, so that each consumer can feel the true value of rare water resources of the country, and therefore the waste amount of water is reduced, especially in the Egypt country which is lack of fresh water and is faced with additional threats from the Niile source. In order to intuitively feel the loss caused by waste of water, an author estimates that the loss of Egypt per year is 15.5 billion dollars. The WRRV will be able to significantly reduce this loss.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Drinking water supply and water plumbing in residential and administrative units / apartments in Egypt and elsewhere in the world. Background Art

[0002] Severe water shortages are the most pernicious and devastating challenge facing Egypt in the coming decades. Today (March 2022), the country’s 102 million inhabitants consume 8.2 billion cubic meters of drinking water. The cost of treating each cubic meter is EGP 3.5, while consumers pay subsidies worth as little as EGP 0.65 / m3. Subsidies for this vital commodity are not a problem. In fact, their continued existence is highly justified. The problem is that 24.5% of this treated water is wasted unnecessarily. This costs the government EGP 24 billion (USD 1.55 billion) per year. Egypt has 20 million buildings containing 43 million apartments, mostly residential. Most of these buildings are equipped with one or two water meters, some working and some not. The total amount paid for water by each building today is not small and is expected to grow logarithmically over time. These water charges are paid as a lump sum. The total value recorded on the water meter is divided by the number of apartments in the building and is set as a fixed fee if the meter is not functioning or the water company lacks staff.

[0003] In these cases, there is little incentive for any consumer to save water or fix a loose connection in their apartment, as long as they end up paying the same rate as their next-door neighbor or paying a fixed rate set by the water company.

[0004] Bad habits are also one of the main causes of waste. The fact that until now most rural Egyptians refer to the Nile as "the sea" outlines this message.

[0005] The only way to reduce most of the wasted 2.9 billion cubic meters of water and use it for other agricultural projects that are very water-hungry is to install water meters in every apartment, but how? Most new buildings built in Egypt over the past decade (mainly residential complexes) have taken this into account, but how should the existing 20 million buildings be equipped with water meters? The only solution currently available is to install individual water meters for each apartment in the building, either at ground level or in the basement, and run tens of meters of polypropylene pipe all the way to each apartment. In this report, we call this solution the “traditional solution.” Summary of the invention

[0006] The residential and administrative units in most buildings are supplied with water through a valve called a water shut-off valve (WSOV). The function of this valve is to open and close the flow of water into any residential or administrative unit. The valve is usually installed in the bathroom wall 10 to 30 cm above the ground.

[0007] The WSOV is used as a water diversion valve (WRRV) half, allowing each water user to install a separate water meter in their unit bathroom instead of the current conventional installation in the skylight corridor or entrance outside the building. This application greatly reduces the installation cost, eliminates the pressure loss on the upper floors, so there is no need for water pumps, makes the installation process easier and faster, eliminates fatal accidents when installing in high-rise buildings, and avoids the ugly appearance caused by green polypropylene pipes.

[0008] The valve is a small tube called the inner tube (IT), which is made of brass (an alloy of yellow copper and zinc) that screws into a larger tube called the outer sleeve (EJ).

[0009] The movable parts of the water shutoff valve (WSOV) in the bathroom will be removed, and the EJ will be screwed tightly into its place (i.e., it will screw into the fixed part in the wall). Water will flow from the fixed part of the WSOV to the inside of IT, and then to the water meter via some PVC connecting pipes, elbows, and external shutoff valves. After the flow is measured, the water will return to the EJ through the 1 / 2-inch slot and then flow back to the WSOV to supply water to the apartment or unit.

[0010] The ultimate goal of the valve is to facilitate the installation of water meters so that each consumer can feel the true value of the country's scarce water resources, thereby reducing the amount of water wasted, especially in a country like Egypt where fresh water is scarce and the source of the Nile River faces additional threats.

[0011] Technical issues The water consumption of each building, which includes several, a few or dozens of residential units, is shared equally by all residents every two months. The water consumption is measured by one or two water meters usually installed in the basement or skyline area or in some cases at the entrance of the building. When residents of all units pay the same amount regardless of how much water they use, this unfair treatment makes those who use little water and those who do not live in their units for different reasons, such as living and living abroad, feel discriminated. When such emotions accumulate in society, they will automatically turn into negligence. Apartment owners and tenants will think twice before they repair their faucets and flush boxes that started to loosen months ago and possibly years ago. Similarly, those who are naturally concerned and use little water will become negligent because they are not sure whether their next-door neighbors will do the same thing. This will eventually lead to the waste of this valuable and important commodity.

[0012] The technical and business issue is therefore the unfair way water is paid for in all 20 million buildings in Egypt. To give a sense of the cost of this unfair payment, the authors estimate that the value of water lost is $1.55 billion per year, and this figure is increasing year by year.

[0013] Solving the problem To solve this business and technical problem, apartment owners and tenants must purchase their own water meters and hire a more advanced plumber to extend dozens of meters of 1 / 2" polypropylene piping from their floor-mounted water meters to their apartments and bypass the main water shutoff valve (WSOV) that exists in the bathroom. With this 1 / 2" piping, friction losses will significantly reduce water pressure and may require the installation of a water pump.

[0014] This traditional method is very expensive because the amount of material involved depends on the unit height, it makes the building look ugly with dozens of green pipes unevenly laid on the walls, and it puts the lives of plumbers who install these pipes in high-rise buildings at risk when they hang from the roof in their robes. Obviously, the alternative would be to build scaffolding that is not commercially affordable. The alternative to avoid pressure loss is to use larger size pipes, such as 3 / 4 or 1 inch, which will add more cost and make the building even uglier.

[0015] Beneficial effects of the present invention The advantages of installing water meters inside each apartment compared to the traditional method of installing them outside in the basement or on the ground are: 1. Cost savings: If all tenants in a building agreed to install water meters in their apartments at once (which is impossible), the average cost of materials (pipes, bites, elbows, hooks, etc.) and labor would be at least 25 times the cost of using one or two WRRVs per tenant.

[0016] 2. Preserve original pressure: Most town networks have street pump water pressures of about 20 to 60 psi. Pressure losses at higher floors are very small because supply pipes are typically 1 inch or larger in diameter, but when 1 / 2 inch pipes are used, the added pressure friction losses may prevent water from reaching higher-level apartments. WRRV allows direct access to the original water pressure in the network. 3. Save time: Using WRRV to install each water meter in an apartment takes no more than 20 minutes, while installation in the traditional way may take several days, depending on the obstacles outside the building, such as windows, air conditioning units, gas pipes, cables, telephone lines, etc. 4. Saves Lives: Performing plumbing work the traditional way would either require scaffolding, which would be cost prohibitive, or force the plumber to work in a very dangerous primitive way called "robes and belts," hanging in the air from the roof of a building. Installing a water meter and WRRV in a bathroom is essentially as safe as any plumbing work in a bathroom.

[0017] 5. Salvage the ugly exterior: Most buildings in Egypt look ugly from the outside, with cracks, holes, peeling paint, stains from leaks, dusty and rusty air conditioning units, broken air conditioning pipes, loose wires everywhere, mismatched shampoo in blurry colors, bad ads and graffiti, etc. Adding dozens of green water pipes entwined with each other by the windows and across the balconies will make this ugliness worse. (Photos are available upon request, but there is no space in this report to present them in the required format) 6. Allow independence: WRRV will allow each water meter to be installed independently without waiting to share the work with neighbors or waiting for the building custodian to agree. In the traditional way, unless all owners and tenants agree to install all water meters together, this is unlikely. Each tenant has his or her own schedule and plan, which can easily control costs, risks and time.

[0018] 7. Allow access: When dozens of water meters are installed in the traditional way, one of the reasons the water company doesn’t read the meters is that the water company can’t access them, so the water company may end up charging all tenants a fixed fee. Typically, water meters, unlike electric meters, are located in dark places that breed rats and insects. Because each tenant hires their own plumber to install their own water meter, the end result is dozens of water meters with dozens of connections stacked on top of each other, some working, some broken, and many leaking. In this case, the government water company inspector will short-circuit the process and charge the building a fixed fee that does not represent the actual water consumption at all.

[0019] 8. Allowing the installation of prepaid water meters: While conventional water meters can be installed inside apartments using WRRVs or outside apartments using conventional methods, it is almost impossible to install these fragile and sensitive prepaid water meters in unprotected areas outside buildings. Therefore, in order to install prepaid water meters in the existing 20 million buildings, WRRVs must be installed.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure Group A Figure A : Cross-section of a water main shut-off valve (WSOV), with fixed parts in green and moving parts in red A1. External water inlet of the building A2. Drainage outlet and water inlet of the apartment A3. Annular water outlet A4. Round rubber stopper A5. Up and down movement rod A6. Valve handle is in open position A7. Valve handle is in closed position Figure B : Cross-section of the same water shut-off valve (WSOV) with moving parts removed Figure C : Cross-section of the same water shut-off valve (WSOV, in green) after installing a water diversion valve (WRRV, in orange) C1. Inner tube C2. Outer sleeve Figure D: Cross-section of the same water shut-off valve (WSOV, in green) after installation of a water diversion valve (WRRV, in orange) and water meter (in black) D1. External water inlet of the building D2. Drainage outlet and water inlet of the apartment D3. Water meter D4. PVC pipe joint Figure Group B Figure A A1. Outer sleeve cross section A2. Inner tube cross section A3. Side view of outer sleeve A4. Front view of outer sleeve A5. Side view of inner tube Figure B B1. Dimensional drawing of 3 outer tubes and inner tube B2. Dimensions of 3 outer sleeves B3. Dimensions of the three inner tubes Figure Group C Figure A : Water diversion valve (WRRV) is directly connected to the water meter A1. Water Redirection Valve (WRRV) A2. External stop valve (ball valve) to replace the main water stop valve (WSOV) A3. Prepaid water meter A4. Water inlet point A5. Side view of inner tube Figure B : The water diversion valve (WRRV) is connected to the extended pipe nipple to raise the water meter above the bathroom floor (The connected pipe joints can be oriented and extended as required, with no limit on length.) B1. WRRV B2. Connected PVC pipe joints and elbows B3. Prepaid water meter B4. External replacement water shut-off valve (ball valve) B5. Water inlet point Description of Implementation Methods Specific instructions: The WSOV, also known as a "buried" valve, consists of two parts, a fixed and a movable one. The fixed part is buried inside the bathroom wall, covered by plaster, or usually under the tiles. This part is made of polypropylene with a 3 / 4-inch female brass screw inserted in the middle, or it is made entirely of 1 / 2-inch brass. This fixed part is connected to the main water supply pipe that rises from the ground level of the building to supply all higher floors.

[0021] The movable part is a male screw made of brass, the end of which is covered with a rubber disc. This movable part is replaceable when damaged.

[0022] A Water Redirection Valve (WRRV) is a simple valve made of two pipes (one inside the other) whose function is to redirect the water flow to the water meter to measure water usage before the supply unit. The inner pipe (IT) is a thin tube made of brass (copper and zinc alloy) covered with an open rubber ring that screws into a wider pipe called the outer sleeve (OJ).

[0023] After shutting off the water supply to the entire building, the movable part of the WSOV will be unscrewed and removed. Then, the 3 / 4-inch male end of the WRRV outer casing will be tightly screwed into the 3 / 4-inch female fixed part of the WSOV. Subsequently, the IT will be screwed into the OJ until it reaches the bottom of the WSOV. The water will then flow through (enter) the open IT directly to the water meter or indirectly to the water meter through a set of PVC fittings and elbows. After measuring the water flow in the water meter, the water will flow through a set of similar drop-type PVC fittings through the 1 / 2-inch male screw inlet all the way back to the OJ. The water will flow back to the fixed part of the WSOV through the space between the inner diameter of the IT and the OJ to supply the residential or administrative unit. To replace the eliminated function of the WSOV, the replacement shut-off valve will be installed in the middle of the rising or falling PVC fittings.

[0024] The WRRV is designed to fit all 3 / 4" WSOVs currently used in most buildings in Egypt. It is also designed to fit 1 / 2" WSOVs used in buildings prior to the early 21st century.

[0025] There are 9 similar brands of 3 / 4" WSOV currently in use in Egypt, with only minor differences in size. Water flows through these brands in the same way, from the water inlet to the small valve disc made of polypropylene. The valve disc diameter varies from 12.7mm to 18mm, and the depth from the outer polypropylene valve edge and the inner female brass screw varies from 24 to 31mm.

[0026] The 1 / 2" WSOV, made entirely of brass, was the only valve used in Egypt until 1980, when the 3 / 4" polypropylene valve became available in the mid-1980s, when most plumbing technicians believed that brass metal was definitely stronger than plastic (polypropylene). Polypropylene valves became mainstream in the early 2000s.

[0027] All 1 / 2" valves have the same dimensions and the water supply path is similar to the 3 / 4" valve, but the valve disc diameter is 9.5mm and the depth from the outer female screw edge is 36.9mm.

[0028] Example To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no examples of said WRRV.

[0029] Industrial Applicability The following review describes how the WRRV and its accessories are manufactured and how they can be installed in the bathroom of any residential or executive unit. The valve weighs about 300gm and is made of a brass alloy (70% copper and 30% zinc), while its accessories are a number of short PVC pipes, nuts and elbows in addition to an external stop valve. The WRRV and all its PVC accessories will be manufactured locally in a factory located in the industrial area of ​​the 10th district of Ramadan City, while the stop valve will be outsourced.

[0030] At the request of any customer, the WRRV will be installed together with the prepayment water meter. If the customer agrees to install the WRRV directly at the typically lower level of their bathroom main water shut-off valve (WSOV), very few PVC pipes, nuts and elbows will need to be connected and used. This option is not recommended as the water meter is difficult to reach 10 to 30 cm above the bathroom floor.

[0031] On the other hand, if the customer requests to install the water meter at a higher level of 70 cm above the bathroom floor to protect the fragile prepaid water meter from damage and leakage and also to make it easy to recharge, more extended pipes, nuts and elbows will be required between the WRRV and the water meter as shown in (Figure Group-C). In both cases, a replacement stop valve will be installed in the rising or falling pipe connected to the WRRV to replace the eliminated function of the WSOV.

[0032] To make a 3 / 4" WRRV: The WRRV is made of two brass tubes. The inner tube (IT) is screwed into a larger pipe called the outer tube (OJ).

[0033] To make the inner tube, a 72 mm long pipe is cut from an imported brass tube of 2000 mm long, 21 mm diameter and 6 mm thickness. After the pipe is cut into pieces, each piece will be lathe machined. The 2 mm thickness from the top 3.4 mm of each piece will be machined. The next 53.6 mm will be machined to form a 1 mm wall thickness by eroding an 8 mm layer from the original outer diameter. 9 mm of the remaining 15 mm will be machined into a male screw with a diameter of 21 mm (Figure Group-B).

[0034] The remaining 6mm spacing will be lathed by eroding 8mm from the original diameter. The rear end of the inner tube will have a 1mm deep groove cut into it which will be used to screw the inner tube into the outer tube when ready for installation.

[0035] To make the outer sleeve, a 63 mm long, 35 mm diameter brass tube is placed in a furnace, blown with a mixture of natural gas and air, and heated to about 700 degrees Celsius. When each piece reaches 75% of its melting temperature, it will be manually (or automatically) moved to a high-powered hydraulic forming machine to be hot forged into the predetermined shape of the outer sleeve. After the forging is pressed into the sleeve casting mold, it is left to cool to room temperature.

[0036] Each cooled forging is then lathed in 4 steps. The first step is to machine the outer end of the sleeve into a 10mm long 3 / 4" male screw. This end of the outer sleeve will be formed later when the screw component of the WRRV is mounted to the fixed component of the WSOV (buried in the bathroom wall). The second lath step is to machine the 20 mm 1 / 2" male bite, which will serve as the water inlet for the water return from the water meter. The third lath step is to machine the 18.3mm female screw into which the inner tube will be screwed when the WRRV is ready to be installed. The last lath step is to machine the 10mm long 3 / 4" female screw on the back of the outer sleeve, into which the water meter (or connecting PVC pipe) will be screwed.

[0037] To make a 1 / 2" WRRV: To make the inner tube, a 85 mm long pipe is cut from an imported brass tube of 2000 mm length, 15 mm diameter and 5 mm thickness. After the pipe is cut into pieces, each piece will be machined on a lathe. The top 3.4 mm of each piece will be 15 mm in diameter, and the next 66 mm will be machined to a 1 mm wall thickness by eroding a 5 mm layer from the outer diameter. 9 mm of the remaining 14 mm will be machined into a male screw with a diameter of 13.5 mm.

[0038] The rear end of the inner tube will be machined to a 2mm wall thickness by eroding a 4mm layer from the outside diameter and a 1mm deep groove will be cut which will be used to screw the inner tube into the outer sleeve when ready for installation.

[0039] To make the outer sleeve, a brass tube 80 mm long and 35 mm in diameter is placed in a furnace, blown with a mixture of natural gas and air, and heated to about 700 degrees Celsius. When each piece reaches 75% of its melting temperature, it will be manually (or automatically) moved to a high-powered hydraulic forming machine to be hot forged into the predetermined shape of the outer sleeve. After the forging is pressed into the sleeve casting mold, it is left to cool to room temperature.

[0040] Each cooled forging is then lathed in 4 steps. The first step is to machine the outer end of the sleeve into a 10mm long 1 / 2" male screw. This end of the outer sleeve will be formed later when the screw component of the WRRV is installed to the fixed component of the WSOV (buried in the bathroom wall). The second lathing step is to machine the 1 / 2" male bite, which will serve as the water inlet for the water return from the water meter. The third lathing step is to machine the 10mm long, 12.5mm OD female screw into which the inner tube will be screwed when the WRRV is ready to be installed. The last lathing step is to machine the 10mm long 3 / 4" female screw on the back of the sleeve, into which the water meter (or connecting PVC pipe) will be screwed.

[0041] Manufacturing PVC accessories: An injection molding machine will be used to convert PVC pellets into pipe molds that are 200mm long, 15mm outer diameter, and 2mm wall thickness. Each PVC fitting will have a 10mm long 1 / 2 inch male thread on one end and a 2mm thick female thread on the other end. Each coupling nut will have a 10mm long female screw to connect two pipe fittings together, one with a male screw being connected to the other with a female thread. The same injection molding machine will also make 1 / 2 and 3 / 4 inch elbows with a 2 mm female thread on one end and a 10mm long 1 / 2 and 3 / 4 inch male screw on the other end.

[0042] External stop valve: The 1 / 2 inch external stop valve with female threads on both sides will be outsourced locally or imported from abroad.

[0043] Manufacturing water meter bracket: The water meter bracket will be made of 3mm thick stainless steel or galvanized steel plate. The steel plate will be cut on a laser cutting machine and bent into right angles by a bending machine. Ten holes will be punched in the bracket fixing part.

[0044] Installation and assembly of WRRV and its accessories: To install the water meter, WRRV and its accessories, the first step is to shut off the water supply to the entire building where the WRRV will be installed. The second step is to open all the faucets in the apartment and drain all the water in the pipes above the level of the MSOV. The third step is to unscrew the movable part of the MSOV shown in (Figure Group AA) and allow the remaining water to drain. Once unscrewed, it will become obvious whether it is 3 / 4 or 1 / 2 inch.

[0045] The male screw of the above-mentioned external sleeve will be screwed into the female fixing part of the MSOV which is usually buried in the bathroom wall.

[0046] Before screwing in the WSOV, apply Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene PTEF) tape and sealant liquid to the male threads of the outer sleeve to ensure a tight connection.

[0047] After tightening the WRRV, then use Teflon tape to screw the inner tube into the 6.75mm female screw of the outer sleeve until the open head of the inner tube and the front of its rubber ring can no longer move forward. This indicates a tight connection with the water inlet of the WSOV.

[0048] Screw the first PVC pipe into the 3 / 4" female screw at the WRRV outlet and then connect the required number of fittings to each other using elbows and nuts all the way up to the required level at the water meter inlet (Figure Group-C). Similarly, connect the drop-down PVC fittings starting from the water meter outlet all the way up to the WRRV inlet where the outer 1 / 2" male screw on the outer sleeve engages.

[0049] Both the descending and ascending connections will be interrupted by external shut-off valves to replace the cancelled function of the WSOV.

[0050] All PVC joints, elbows and nuts will be glued to each other using cyanoacrylate sealant to ensure maximum sealing and avoid illegal unscrewing attempts to bypass the water meter. The threads of the water meter will be sealed with Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene PTEF) tape and sealant.

[0051] Important Notice: All dimensions of the WRRV and its accessories mentioned in this report are based on measurements of a prototype model manufactured and assembled using original materials and techniques. Professional manufacturing on a commercial scale will result in refined design, lighter weight and smaller size.

[0052] What never changes is the 3 / 4 or 1 / 2 inch water inlet diameter of the WRRV (depending on whether the WSOV in the bathroom is 3 / 4 or 1 / 2 inch) and the 3 / 4 inch back end diameter of the valve into which the water meter or the pipe leading to the water meter is connected.

[0053] Reference to deposited biological material Not applicable.

[0054] Free Text for Sequence Listings The following steps summarize the sequence for installing the WRRV and water meter: 1. Cut off the water supply to the building; 2. Remove the movable parts of the water shut-off valve; 3. Unscrew the outer sleeve (OJ) of the WRRV. Use Teflon tape as a sealant; 4. The rubber ring is glued to the top of the open inner tube; 5. Screw IT into OJ until it cannot be screwed in any further and reaches the bottom of WSOV. Use Teflon tape as a sealant; 6. Screw the PVC elbow into the back of the OJ. Use permanent sealant; 7. Connect the PVC pipes, nuts and elbows so that they are about 70 cm above the bathroom floor or to the height required by the customer. Use permanent sealant in all PVC connections and materials; 8. Use PVC elbows and nuts to choose the most convenient route on the bathroom wall and choose the most suitable location to install the prepaid water meter. Use permanent sealant with all PVC materials; 9. Drill holes if necessary to secure the pipe brackets that support the PVC pipes; 10. Drill at least 3 holes in the wall to fix the galvanized steel water meter bracket. Install the water meter on its bracket base; 11. Install the ball valve in a convenient position in the middle of the rising or falling PVC joint; 12. Connect the last PVC elbow to the 1 / 2-inch water inlet of the OJ; 13. Reconnect the building's water supply and test all connections; 14. Use the water meter card to recharge the water meter. Now you can measure the water consumption.

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising: The water diversion valve has two parts, the inner tube and the outer tube.

2. The touch panel uses the water diversion valve of the fixed part of the water shut-off valve to assemble the valve, which can redirect the water supply to the water meter for measurement before using the water without causing any damage.

3. The touch panel according to claim 2.

4. The touch panel is used in combination with the water shut-off valve and the water diversion valve.

5. Any said touch panel using PVC connection to install the water meter at any suitable location accessible to the user and can recharge the prepaid water meter.

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